Tablet press overhead feed system



NOV. 19, 1968- MATHISON I 3,411,462

TABLET PRESS OVERHEAD FEED SYSTEM Filed Nov. 22, 1966 INVENTOR 629/ ZZWd/a f dam? ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,411,462 TABLET PRESS OVERHEAD FEED SYSTEM Harold Richard Mathison, Suifern, N.Y., assignor to Geigy Chemical Corporation, Ardsley, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 596,308 4 Claims. (Cl. 107-17) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tablet press overhead feed system in which a wheel supported bin at an upper floor level is movable to align its conically tapered discharge spout with a delivery conduit located at floor level leading to a tablet press at a lower floor level. A fluid pressure operated coupling means is used to couple the discharge spout with the conduit.

The present invention is a system and apparatus for delivering batches of pharmaceutical tablet material from a portable overhead carrier to a subjacent fixed press in which the mix comprising the tablet material is compressed into tablets for distribution to the trade.

Industrial plants engaged in the commercial production of tablets, pills, and the like usually operate on a twofloor system basis in which a batch mix of the desired ingredients and consistency is prepared on an upper floor and discharged by gravity from a portable carrier into a conduit passed though the floor and which delivers the mix to press apparatus on a floor below. In practice, that portion of the delivery conduit which passes through the upper floor is movable on a vertical axis for elevation into connection with the discharge spout of a batch carrier positioned over the upper end of the delivery conduit. Power mechanism is required to lift the upper end of the delivery conduit into forcible sealing engagement with the batch carrier discharge spout.

An object of the present invention is to provide in a system of the character above described a simple force applying mechanism of few parts and capable of remote control operation for elevating the upper end portion of a delivery conduit into forcible sealing engagement with the discharge spout of a portable batch carrier positioned thereover.

Other and incidental objects will be apparent from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a general elevational view of a two-floor system incorporating the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the lifting and sealing means of the invention.

The present invention is used in an industrial plant installation having an upper floor and a lower floor 11. A conventional tablet press 12 on the lower floor is supplied with tablet composition material gravity fed from the floor above through a delivery conduit 13. This conduit includes an intermediate expansible and flexible coupling portion 14 which permits the cylindrical upper end portion of the conduit to move axially in and through a complemental opening in the upper floor. The upper end of conduit 13 projects above the floor and is formed as a flat, external, circumferential flange 15 that extends laterally from the conduit in a plane normal to its axis.

The flange 15 seats on and is supported by an axially expansible collar assembly indicated generally as 16 that surrounds the upper end portion of the conduit between the flange 15 and the surface of the floor. Collar assembly 16 is comprised of a flat base ring 17 seated loosely on the floor surface and a movable upper ring 18 on which the conduit flange 15 seats. The collar rings are connected by fluid expansible chamber means here shown 3,411,462- Patented Nov. 19, 1968 "ice as a plurality of cylinders 19 fixed on the base ring 17 at circumferentially spaced points and provided with fluid actuated pistons 20 that are fixedly attached at their upper ends to the ring 18. Operating fluid under. remote control is supplied to .cylinders 19 by inlets 21 leading from aring manifold 22 that has communication by way of a supply line 23 with a source (not shown) of fluid under pressure. When not in use the pistons 20 normally are retracted so that the upper ring of the collar assembly occupies the lowered phantom line position shown in FIG. 2.

The collar assembly is a means of connecting the upper end of the conduit 13 to the cone-tapered discharge spout 24 of a portable bin carrier 25 on the upper floor mounted on roller casters 26. The mouth of spout 24 occupies a plane normal to its axis, and its outer diameter is appreciably less than the internal diameter of conduit 13 at its upper end; so that when the expansible collar assembly elevates the flange 15 the open upper end of the conduit rides up over the tapered surface of the spout into forcible sealing "engagement therewith. When the collar is collapsed in the phantom line position of FIG. 2 the mouth of the spout 24 is spaced above the conduit flange 15 so that it may pass freely thereover.

In operation, a bin 25 carrying a batch of material to be pelleted is rolled into position above the upper end of conduit 13 with its "spout 24 registered axially with the conduit. Fluid under pressure then isv admitted to the cylinders 19 to elevate the upper ring.18 of the collar and thus lift and hold the upper end ofconduit in forced, tight sealed connection with the bin spout. Closure valve means 27 on the bin discharge spout is opened and the contents of the bin flows by gravity down through the delivery conduit to the press 12. Valve means 28 controls delivery from conduit 13 to the press.

It is to be understood that the herein disclosed embodiment of my invention is illustrative of a practical example and that the invention is not restricted thereto. It may comprise any structure falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In combination: a pelleting press; a vertical delivery conduit for gravity feed of pelleting material to said press; said conduit having an open upper end; provided with a lateral external flange; a fixed supportflbjelow said flange; thel pper end portion of the conduit-being axially movable in and through said support; a pelleting material carrier movable on said support for positioning over the flanged upper end of said conduit; a discharge spout on the bottom of said carrieriand terminating in vertically spaced relation above the upper end of the delivery conduit when disconnected therefrom; said spout being connectible with the open upper end of the conduit by insertion therein; and fluid pressure expansion means between said fixed support and the delivery conduit flange and operative to lift the axially movable upper end portion of the conduit into connection with the carrier dischange spout.

2. In the combination of claim 1, said fluid pressure expansion means including a collar seated on said support and surrounding the upper end portion of the conduit, said collar engaging beneath and supporting the flange on the delivery conduit.

3. In the combination of claim 2, said collar comprising a base ring, a separate upper ring movable axially relative to the base ring, a plurality of cylinders fixed on one of said rings, pistons in said cylinders and engaging the other of said rings, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinders to project said pistons and move their engaged ring axially from the other.

4. A tablet press overhead feed system comprising: a lower floor having thereon a press; an upper floor; a conduit for delivering pelleting material thereto and includ- 3 ing a cylindrical upper 'endportion movable axially in and through said upper floor and extending thereabove; a lateral external flange on the'upper end of the conduit; a pelletin-g material carrier movable on said upper'flo'or to a position over the upper end of the conduit; fluid pressure expansible means seated on the upper floor and in turn seating the delivery conduit flange; a conically tapered discharge spout on the bottom of said carrier for insertion in the cylindrical upper end of the delivery conduit; and rneans'for supplying fluid under pressure to said expansible means to lift said flange and thereby force the upper end of the delivery conduit upwardly and over said discharge spout to effect sealed connection therewith.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 522,705 7/ 1894 Chandler. 3,284,058 11/ 1966 Bolton 259-102 3,353,847 11/1967 Brown 285-18 10 WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

A. O. HENDERSON, Assistant Examiner. 

